| Show LETTERS CAPTAINS YOUNG GRANT AND CAINE governor wells is ia in receipt of letters from captains young grant and caine the letters are full of interest and are as follows on the colon 9 a m wednesday june 15 1898 my dear governor A final word of parting the command is now split up in the manner described in the papers my own battery has the smaller boat but the most comfortable so tar far as the men are concerned there is however a shortage of bunks and a number of men must sleep on the floors two or three men are slightly indisposed one somewhat seriously we regret very much that you found it impossible to come down to see us you would have received a fine welcome I 1 one entirely commensurate with your deserts which are not inconsiderable in the minds of all of us 1 I suppose the newspaper men have told you through the press that we have made a favorable impression here in all circles ies senator cannon informed me that another battery would be accorded utah and so I 1 wired you lieutenant wedgwood will explain that I 1 had absolutely nothing to do with this general greene sent a telegram to the adjutant general warmly advocating my promotion I 1 suppose it will come but I 1 shall not fret about it now or ever my main desire now is that these batteries give a good account of selves in this em broglio as you all expect we shall and if I 1 can do this as aa a captain merely all right the ithe rank is but the guineas stamp what a follow does the good for a that and a that I 1 see that the astor battery is coming and a battery from wyoming goodbye good bye yours very respectfully RICHARD W YOUNG on board the steamer ste arper china san francisco cal june 14 1898 at five athis this afternoon the steamer china with two companies of the united states infantry the first colorado infantry one half of light battery B and a detachment of the engineer corps cast east off her lines and moved gracefully out into the bay coming to anchor about two miles from the foot of market street tonight with bands playing and all the troops including our own men things are lively aboard with music and dancing while the grand ship lies peacefully anchored our thoughts drift back to old utah and the dear friends at home the men have already been thoroughly in earnest in their work and if you could have seen them today as aa they broke camp and marched to the dock I 1 know that you would have been proud of them in behalf of both officers and men I 1 wish to tender the heartfelt thanks of the command for your royal generosity and the interest you have taken in us while being mustered and since leaving the state we aure assure you that both officers and men will be all the more attentive to duty and aad truer to the flag when they think of the governor of our state the letter concludes by bi wishing the governor god speed and again expressing appreciation of the executives interest and solicitude for the he utah volunteers headquarters first troop utah vol cavalry camp merritt san francisco june 13 1898 my dear governor I 1 promised to write you occasionally that you might know how the troop is getting on I 1 am happy to say that so far everything has been quiet which means that the men are working hard and keeping out of trouble they are am becoming accustomed to the discipline taking on a soldierly bearing and surprising everyone with their horsemanship we are very pleasantly located having a block of ground to ourselves and the camp being an independent one under my command I 1 am able to run it in my own way I 1 have seen a copy of the tribune of last friday in which camp merritt Is ia pictured as a pestilential spot where filth and immorality have full sway away I 1 will not pretend to defend the entire camp but I 1 want you to know that so far as an the cavalry camp is concerned the story is untrue in every detail prom from the day we arrived I 1 have wen been very strict about keeping people out of camp so strict in fact that the men have thought it a hardship but the men had their work to do 40 and they could not do it if they were surrounded by the crowds of people who are ever waiting to come in no one ofte is admit admitted within the lines without my consent and my consent is never given unless something is known of the applicant for admission the inference that the men are suffering from venereal diseases la in untrue the sick ick reports show no such cases and no man suffering buttering in that way could stand the rough riding and general hard work without making it known in a sanitary way the cavalry camp is likewise clean the tent walls walla are raised all day the bedding aired the grounds raked up refuse put in barrels and hauled away and sand and lime thrown into the sinks towee a day so that there is not a bad odor to be found in this block I 1 know it is not necessary to tell you that the utah boys are clean and wholesome but the story in the tribune has caused much anxiety at home as the letters and telegram telegrams from anxious parents indicate you too can do much to allay their fears so it I write you the real conditions the conduct of my men is exemplary it is over a month since the troop was wa organized and I 1 have not as yet wet had occasion to place a single man in arrest the men are obedient and faithful they will all malie make good soldiers pay day comes tomorrow it win be very welcome as an some of the men need a little money small sums have beed advanced to nearly all of them so 0 that there has been no suffering for necessities but they will all feel better when they have received their hard earned 1560 it if at any time you want to know anything about the troop arany or any of its if members I 1 should be glad to supply the information I 1 shall write ww time to time whenever anything of interest int comes up we do not expect to leave for or the philippines until the last expedition as the question of transporting horns is still an open one I 1 think however that provision will be made tor for shipping our horses if only as an expert ment with kind regards to you and the remnants of your staff 1 am sir air very jour servant JOSEPH IN |
